Once Upon a Time in the West/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Alas, Poor Villain: Morton had the desperate goal of seeing the blue ocean of the Pacific before he succumbed to his fatal disease, instead dies slowly face down in a mud puddle while he imagines to hear the ocean.
  • Non Sequitur Scene: When Harmonica and Jill meet for the first time alone in a barn, he rips her dress and pushes her to the ground... but that's about it. It is not explained why he would do this and it is never mentioned again.
  • Complete Monster: Frank. Years ago, he killed off Harmonica's brother in probably the most sadistic way possible, and now he goes and kills off a farming family, including their youngest son. Then he advances on the widow.

Morton: Tell me, was it necessary that you kill all of them? I only told you to scare them.
Frank: People scare better when they're dying.

  • Moral Event Horizon: The way Frank killed Harmonica's brother. Forcing a little boy to support his fully-grown brother so that he doesn't die by hanging is one of the worst acts of cruelty a Leone villain has ever done.
  • Tear Jerker: The flashback.
    • Frank killing off Jill's nice new family. Especially because she doesn't know, and is looking forward to her new life. Poor Jill is understandably horrified when she arrives.
    • The death of Cheyenne. That is all.

Hey, Harmonica. When they do you in, pray it's somebody who knows where to shoot.